Using the 3D graphics card

If you have two graphics cards, you might have a powerful one, but HeavyM might not be running with it. What a shame! Therefore, you should make sure HeavyM is running with your 3D graphics card and not through your computer’s chipset.

The following paragraphs detail the procedure for common graphics card brands, on Windows 10. On Mac computers, the default settings are usually already appropriate. If you really want to force them, you can use the menu bar app gfxCardStatus.

This procedure can also be necessary if you’re using Syphon/Spout to broadcast a feed between HeavyM and another software. Indeed, for this to work, both programs have to run on the same graphics card.

NVIDIA graphics cards

a. Checking on which graphics card HeavyM is running

1. First, right-click on an empty area on your desktop and select “NVIDIA Control Panel“. In this panel, you have to tick “Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area“; in the Desktopmenu.

2. In your notification area, you can now access the GPU Activity panel. This panel allows you to track the active applications running on your NVIDIA graphics card.

3. Now, try opening HeavyM and a projection window: if HeavyM_Projection.exe and HeavyM.exeappear in the list, it means that they are indeed running on your 3D graphics card.

If HeavyM doesn’t appear in this list, follow the instructions in step b.

b. Forcing the projection to run on your NVIDIA graphics card

If you notice that HeavyM is not running on the correct graphics card by default, you have to force it.

Under “Select a program to customize“, click on the “Add“ button to select HeavyM_Projection.exe from the list or programs, then validate with “Add Selected Program“.

Note: if Heavym_Projection.exe doesn’t appear in the list, you have to add it from its location first. Click on the “Browse“ button to do so. The location depends on where you chose to install the software, but by default it’s in C:\Program Files (x86)\HeavyM-Live\HeavyM_Projection.

2. Now, under “2. Select the preferred graphics processor for this program“, set NVIDIA as the preferred GPU and click on “Apply“.

Note: if you don’t see this drop-down menu, it means no other graphics card is available, your program can only run with the NVIDIA GPU.

3. Finally, restart HeavyM to apply the modifications.

AMD Radeon graphics cards

1. First, right-click on an empty area on your desktop and select “AMD Radeon Settings“.

3. Click on “Add Application“;. You have to add HeavyM.exe and HeavyM_Projection.exe from their file location (respectively, by default in C:\Program Files (x86)\HeavyM-Live and C:\Program Files (x86)\HeavyM-Live\HeavyM_Projection).

4. Now, in the drop-down menu in the “Graphics Settings“ column, select the “High Performance“ option for HeavyM and HeavyM_Projection, and “Apply“.

5. Finally, restart HeavyM to apply the modifications.

If you want other tips to improve performance and get the best out of HeavyM, you can check out our tutorial on the performance modes selection, a feature that has been introduced in HeavyM 1.7.